The Paradox of the Teacher Preparation-Practice Divide

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Introduction

Teacher educators have long grappled with the perceived divide between what is taught in teacher preparation programmes and the realities candidates encounter in schools and classrooms. Frequently characterised as the "theory-practice divide", this tension remains a persistent challenge across teacher education.

This special issue seeks to reframe this challenge by exploring what we term the paradox of the teacher preparation-practice divide. Teacher preparation-most notably its field and clinical experiences- can be disconnected from the seeming priorities of today’s schools and school districts, it simultaneously remains deeply significant in shaping the aspirations, values and professional identities of future educators. What may appear irrelevant in one context may, paradoxically, be highly relevant in supporting teachers' commitments to equity, civic engagement, critical thinking and meaningful learning for young adolescents.

The special issue will provide a platform for teacher educators to critically examine, illuminate and interrogate this paradox. Through diverse perspectives and methodologies, contributors are invited to consider how teacher preparation can both diverge from and respond to the realities of schools while continuing to serve the needs of teacher candidates, students and communities. 

List of Topic Areas

We welcome submissions that explore, challenge or extend understandings of the preparation-practice divide, including but not limited to:

• The paradox of teacher education relevance and irrelevance
• Theory-practice tensions in educator preparation
• Personal narratives of teacher education
• Self-studies and autoethnographic accounts
• Clinical practice and field experiences
• Partnerships between universities and schools
• Curriculum and content area preparation
• Teacher candidate identity formation
• Equity, inclusion and social justice in teacher preparation
• Aspirational versus enacted teaching practices
• Preparing teachers for diverse and complex educational contexts
• Pedagogical innovations that bridge preparation and practice
• Middle level teacher education and adolescent learning
• The role of educator beliefs, values and professional commitments in teacher preparation 

Types of Contributions Encouraged

To capture the richness and diversity of this topic, we particularly encourage submissions adopting approaches such as:

• Self-study research
• Autoethnography
• Narrative inquiry
• Reflective practitioner accounts
• Qualitative and mixed-methods research
• Conceptual and theoretical papers
• Programme and partnership case studies

Submissions should contribute new insights into how teacher educators understand, navigate and potentially leverage the paradoxical relationship between preparation and practice.

Submissions Information

All manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's ScholarOne Manuscripts system: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mgrj 

Submissions should follow the journal's author guidelines, available on the journal website: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/mgrj 

All papers will be subject to the journal's usual double-anonymised peer review process. 

Key Deadlines

Submission Deadline - 1 November 2026

Final Acceptance Date - 1 March 2027